Following a Week 1 win over Arizona, the Rams lost three games in a row and appeared uncompetitive during that span, but with back-to-back wins over Jacksonville and Houston, St. Louis is apparently regaining control of a season that nearly got out of hand.

Arian Foster ran for 141 yards against a Rams run defense that has struggled in 2013, but it was not nearly enough to outdo a St. Louis team that was firing on all cylinders.

The Rams will travel to Carolina a week from now and attempt to regain a winning record. For now, here are my takeaways from St. Louis’ big win over the Texans.

Michael Brockers Is Waking Up

Second-year defensive tackle Michael Brockers, who was expected to be the anchor of the Rams' defense, got off to a very slow start the first three weeks of the season.

It appears the drought is over, as Brockers now has 3.5 sacks in the last three games, including a two-sack performance against the Texans.

Not only did Brockers create havoc as a pass-rusher, but he was one of the few Rams players capable of shutting down Foster and the Texans run game—he made multiple tackles for a loss in the backfield.

Brockers is a vital part of the defense and must continue to play well in order for the Rams to succeed this year.

This Is the Confidence Boost the Rams Needed

The Rams have finished with less than five wins four times since the 2007 season, and the team hasn't finished with a .500 record since 2006.

For this reason, Rams fans are used to seeing their team roll over and play dead at the first sign of trouble. It's in their nature.

When the Rams got off to a 1-3 start to the season, most fans automatically assumed the Rams would once again finish with less than five wins.

But this is exactly why Jeff Fisher was hired...to keep things competitive even when everything appears to be going wrong.

Fisher knew a big win in Houston could turn things around, so he got his team ready to play and led them to a key victory.

Now, despite some very sloppy moments in 2013, his team suddenly has confidence again. The Rams are competitive once again.

That's what a veteran leader can do for a team.

We've seen the Rams give up under the leadership of rookie head coaches, but Fisher will not allow that to happen.

There's a lot of time left in the season, and things could certainly take a turn for the worse. But this team will put forth an admirable effort. You can bet on that.

Steven Gerwel is the longest-tenured Rams Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and serves as the Rams game-day correspondent. You can find more of Gerwel's work by visiting his writer's profile or by following him on Twitter.